Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, July 31, 2008

Tickets for Youth Explosion are currently available in area churches and businesses, but perhaps the best place to start is the Internet.

The Christian event is geared toward youths and features guest speakers, music and other events.

Darren Dunn is a 1987 graduate of Deer Park High School and a minister at Central Baptist Church. He has spearheaded this event and is now asking people to visit the event Website (www.youthexp.com) or its Myspace page (www.myspace.com/cbcyouthexplosion) as the best places to get tickets and register for the event.

Youth Explosion has been held twice previously. The first year featured events geared toward Deer Park youth. By the time the second one came around, more than 10,000 people showed up - coming from as far away as Dallas and San Antonio, he said. The event became really big, really fast. It missed a couple of years but is coming back in full force.

Among the scheduled speakers at the event are New York Yankees pitcher and Deer Park resident Andy Pettitte; Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas; Christian comedian Tim Hawkins; and evangelist Jamey Ragle, among others. A late addition to the event is the Christian band Leeland out of Baytown.